Astartes 2 Animation Revived: Stunning Teaser Released, But With a Catch

Games Workshop has thrilled fans of the Warhammer 40,000 universe by reviving the much-anticipated animation, Astartes 2, with a stunning teaser trailer. However, there's a surprising twist: none of the scenes showcased in the teaser will actually appear in the final animation.

Astartes 2 is the sequel to the fan-made original Astartes animation by Syama Pedersen, which is widely regarded as the pinnacle of Warhammer 40,000 animations, rivaled only by Amazon's recent Space Marine 2 animation for the Secret Level anthology series. The original Astartes was so impactful that it inspired Saber Interactive's successful Space Marine 2 game, leading Games Workshop to bring Syama Pedersen on board to work on the sequel.

After years of silence, leaving fans to speculate about its fate, Games Workshop surprised everyone on January 29, 2025, with the release of the Astartes 2 teaser trailer. The trailer promises an animation of unprecedented scale and quality for the Warhammer 40,000 franchise, featuring intense melee and shooting combat, vehicle battles, and even spaceship engagements. It showcases various Space Marine chapters fighting across diverse environments against multiple enemy races, including Tyranids, Orks, and Tau.

It's not even February yet and the Ws for 2025 won't stop coming! Astartes is back, Brothers! pic.twitter.com/sYhu5LjwiC

— Champions of the Ice (@ChampionsOTIce2) January 29, 2025

Despite the excitement, Games Workshop clarified on their Warhammer Community website that the teaser trailer does not contain actual footage from Astartes 2. Instead, it's a compilation of scenes representing the past lives of the characters who will appear in the show. The post hints at the story's direction, encouraging fans to piece together the clues themselves. Astartes 2 is set to launch exclusively on Games Workshop's Warhammer+ streaming service in 2026.

The absence of a disclaimer on the trailer might lead to confusion among fans, who might expect to see the showcased scenes in the final product. Nonetheless, the teaser has sparked excitement and speculation, with many believing the characters may end up in an Inquisition-led Deathwatch Terminator squad, as suggested by the trailer's final image.

The Astartes 2 teaser has also caught the attention of Space Marine 2 fans, who are hoping some elements, like the capes, might inspire updates to their game. With Saber Interactive continuing to develop Space Marine 2, there's a possibility they might draw further inspiration from Astartes.